What's it Called?

by Talkingbirdguy

David and his friend, Ben, are going through a small town when David, ever the artist, decides that he wants to draw Mt. Ebott. Ben, the more adventurous of the two, convinces David to climb Mt. Ebott. They take shelter in a cave when it begins to rain and discover a hole. David, despite being careful, falls in. Now he does what he must to get to the surface. Warning: language.

2. Chapter 2

What's it Called? Chap 2

Warning: graphic character death.

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Chapter 2

I pushed open the door, the second one. The one I had found after going through the first and through a dark room with some grass in the middle.

What was up with that? And why did I feel eyes on me, again, when I went through?

No matter. I closed the door behind me and felt the cold immediately sting my ears.

"Snow?" I asked, unbelieving of the crunch under my feet. Small flakes fell all around me in a slow, chaotic pattern. I looked around and saw a path leading away from the door through dense trees. I wouldn't be moving past those. Next to the door was a snow covered bush with a blinking light.

Wait...what?

I got a closer look and realized that the light came from a camera pointed at the door. At me.

I waved at the camera and said, "Hello, mysterious watching person. I mean you no harm. I just want to leave." The camera didn't respond, and I saw no reaction, so I stood and left.

As I walked along the path, I felt the eyes on me again.

A crack had me spin around and I saw a branch, now broken, laying on the path. I had stepped over it a few moments earlier.

Something broke it.

"Who's there?" I called out, listening carefully, machete out of its sheath and ready. I heard nothing and began walking the way I was going originally. Now and again, I would peek back only to find nothing.

I crossed this bridge with what appeared to be bars blocking every other part except the bridge itself.

I silently questioned its purpose as I made my way across, the wood squeaking a little as I went past.

"Heyo," I heard a greeting from ahead and turned to see a small stand to the path's left.

"Hello," I approached carefully and was surprised to see a grinning skeleton sitting at the stand. He had a toothy grin going on that didn't seem to change and his eyes were simple white dots in the sockets. He seemed short. Only about five, five and a half feet tall. He was also a little round, but that may have been due to his jacket.

"You a human?" The skeleton had an almost northern accent to his words.

"I am. But I mean nobody any harm."

"Good. I'm actually supposed to be on watch for humans. Buuuut," he leaned the chair he was sitting in back on two legs in what was obviously a relaxed position, "I'm not really one to capture anyone. My brother, on the other hand, is a human-hunting fanatic!"

I frowned at the news.

"Do you know of any way I can avoid him? I really don't want to hurt anyone, but I'll fight back if I think my life is in danger."

"Hmm," the skeleton hummed in thought. "Nope. Can't really see any way for you to avoid him. Just humor him with his puzzles and he won't really hurt you."

I relaxed at those words.

"Thanks for the advice. The name is David."

"Sans. I would shake your hand, buuuut I'm on break."

I rolled my eyes and, with a grin, whispered, "Lazybones."

I didn't whisper it quietly enough, because his eyes flicked over to me and I feared that I had struck a nerve.

"Pffff," Sans began laughing and made his chair tip over, sending him to the ground, where he continued to chortle.

"Are you okay?" I asked the laughing skeleton. That fall looked painful, even with the snow's cushioning.

He chuckled a little more before nodding and wiping away a tear.

"Hehe, don't worry, kid," my eye twitched at the name, "I'm fine. Snow harm in a little fall." He held up a little of the white stuff as he said it.

I blinked.

"Snurk!" I chuckled at the pun, despite how tame it was.

"I can respect someone that enjoys puns," Sans said, standing and wiping the snow from his jacket. I saw that he wore slippers and automatically assumed that he couldn't feel cold.

That had me wondering if he could feel anything. Any sensations? He could obviously feel emotions, but was that the extent of what he could feel? What about pain? Pleasure? Did his bones ever itch? So many questions.

But no time to ask.

"I'm glad that we get along so well," I said, dropping the grin from my face somewhat.

"I was told that the Barrier is at Asgore's castle. Mind pointing me that way?"

Sans didn't drop his grin. I'm not sure that he's even able.

"Sure, pal. Just follow this path. You'll get to Snowdin Town eventually and you can ask someone there for directions. I've got to go. See you at Grillby's." Sans waved at me over his shoulder while walking down the path.

Towards the way I had come.

"Ah, isn't Snowdin Town that way?" I pointed the same way he had pointed only moments before. As well as Grillby's, whatever that was.

"Taking a shortcut. See you there."

I shrugged and began walking down the path. I found this box with a sign that confirmed what I thought: it was a box.

Stimulating, truly.

The part that confused me was when it said that the box would appear later.

"I'm calling bull," I said and began to move away.

I stopped and looked at the box again. I stared at it silently before getting out some paper and writing some stuff on it and putting it in the, up until that point, empty box. I closed the stupid thing and continued on my way. I didn't bother taking the path to the left, seeing as Sans directed me in the direction of the way I was headed.

I almost missed that gleam in the snow. I touched it and found the name of the place idiotic.

"Box Road. Who the hell names these places?"

"Our glorious king!" A voice rang out and I felt my Soul come out. I immediately grabbed it with my left and turned to the newcomer.

They were about four feet tall and had a cone of ice on their head. Their nose looked like a drill, almost.

"I'm Icecap!" They had a teenager's tone, but I couldn't tell what gender they were.

"David. I really don't want to fight you."

"Tough! We need your Soul to leave this place!" Their eyes narrowed and they lifted up their arms. Chunks of ice flew towards myself and I only had time to move my Soul so it didn't get hit.

The ice went through my body, leaving it mostly untouched. My Soul ached at the contact with my body, but felt nothing like a direct hit to my Soul normally felt like.

"I would normally call bull on that logic, but I'm not complaining about it now!" Apparently Monster attacks didn't affect my body too much. Only my Soul. So if I kept my Soul safe, I would be safe.

Good to know.

"I'm honestly not looking to fight."

Spikes made of ice jetted up from the ground and I maneuvered my body and Soul around them, jumping and sliding around in the snow, before running towards Icecap.

Judging from Icecap's expression, he hadn't expected that.

"H-hey! Don't come any closer!" They sent more ice at me and I slashed at the ones that I couldn't dodge, breaking them apart. My Soul felt some aching when shards brushed against it.

"I-I quit! Mercy!" they shrieked, throwing gold at me and running away at a sprint. I slowed and waited until my Soul returned to my chest before picking up the gold. I was breathing a little heavily and mist formed in front of my face with each exhale.

I felt my Soul ache, even after the battle's end. I grit my teeth against the unfamiliar pain. It was worse in how I had never felt my Soul hurt before. Not really.

I was passing by the gleaming speck and decided on trying it.

One File Saved later, I was feeling fine.

"Whoever thought it was funny to shove me in a real-life videogame is going to get a machete in their chest," I muttered without heat. This was due to the ache in my Soul having disappeared.

I followed the way that Icecap had gone, albeit slower. I found another stand with a sign that I didn't bother to read. The second stand, however, I did stop when I saw movement behind it.

"Heh, gotta not move."

I blinked and continued forward, intent on moving past while whoever it was did whatever it was that they were doing.

"Movement!"

A dog-like creature leapt in front of me and I had no time to dodge the blue blur that was his sword slicing through my recently emerged Soul.

I froze, expecting agony to erupt from the direct attack.

But nothing came.

"Where-where are you!? Keep moving! I can only see moving things!"

I kept stock still and allowed the canine to swing his blue-tinted swords wildly, sometimes coming in contact with my Soul but never damaging it.

After a bit of this act, the canine squinted around, looking left and right rapidly.

"W-was there no movement? Movement! Move!"

I kept still and silent.

"Erg, I'm gonna need some dog treats for this."

He turned back to his stand and went back behind it. After I was certain that he couldn't see me, I began moving down the path again. I found a sign...in the middle of a gigantic puddle of frozen, and slippery, ice. After slip-sliding my way over, I read it.

I then was tempted to chop it up in very small pieces.

"I think anyone with eyes will realize that there is ice in all four directions," I snarked, beginning to shiver as the cold began to really affect me. My jacket had been worn to counteract windy mountain air and cold night air, not snow. My shoes, designed to be tough and long-lasting, didn't do much when trudging through snow. I had zipped up my jacket, put on other shirts, and flipped up my hood. Despite my constant movement and these precautions, I was feeling myself begin to shiver badly.

A southern boy doesn't do so well in snow when unprepared.

"HUMAN!"

I jumped at the yell and looked up to see another skeleton in the path ahead.

"PREPARE TO BE CAPTURED!"

I blinked and said, "You know, one usually doesn't give up his plan to the one he plans to capture."

The skeleton, presumably Sans' brother, was dressed...oddly. he had on a red cape, red gloves (almost boxing gloves), red boots. The only thing not red on him was his own white body and his blue (anatomically incorrect) hips.

He was broad shouldered and a little more than two meters tall. (Seven feet, I would say.)

"AH, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FAIR CHANCE AGAINST THE GREAT PAPYRUS."

I realized that that wasn't even him yelling. That was just the way he spoke. Honestly, it was a bit annoying. My friends usually consist of quieter people and he was the opposite of most of them.

"Umm, thanks?"

Papyrus posed, his fists on his hips, and grinned while saying, "YOU ARE WELCOME, HUMAN. NOW, I MUST GO PREPARE THE PUZZLES. PREPARE TO BE DEFEATED!"

"Alright."

"NYAHAHAHA!" He then raced down the path at a speed that kicked up snow in his wake.

I shook my head and continued down the path, wondering when this place was going to make sense.

I heard Papyrus screaming up ahead a few minutes later and began jogging to see what was happening. He may have just confessed to wanting to capture me, but I didn't want the guy hurting himself.

"WHY ISN'T THIS WORKING?" Papyrus walked forward onto this large area that had been cleared of snow and an orb he was holding flashed red and sent out a shock, causing him to yelp.

"What are you doing?" I asked him from a safe distance.

"AH, HUMAN!" Papyrus said, spinning around to face me. "JUST ON TIME! I HAVE A PUZZLE READY FOR YOU."

I thought for a moment before saying, "You're looking kind of fried right now. Are you sure we shouldn't get you to a doctor or something?"

It was the truth. He did have a singed look all about him. Small wisps of smoke curled up from his extravagant clothes.

"NONESENSE! I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE HEALTHY."

I was honestly worried because he was slumped over a little and his breathing looked labored.

(How I could tell his breathing looked labored when he didn't even have a stomach? Don't ask.)

I thought about how Sans, who had helped me, would react if his brother got hurt. He seemed fond of Papyrus, so I doubt he wanted him injured.

"How about a wager?"

"HMM? A WAGER, YOU SAY?"

"Yeah. If I manage to solve your puzzle, you have to go see your brother and he has to decide whether you see a doctor or not. If I can't, then I'll continue to do your puzzles. Sound fair?"

"HMM." Papyrus turned around and thought furiously. After almost a full minute, he twisted around and said, "DEAL!"

"Good. Now what is this puzzle?"

"HERE, TAKE THIS," Papyrus threw the orb up in the air and sprinted to the other side of the stamped down snow. I noticed that the orb crackled with electricity as he ran across and jumped back to avoid touching the orb. It fell to the ground and stopped giving off electricity as Papyrus exited the area.

"THIS IS THE INVISIBLE ELECTRIC MAZE. IF YOU TOUCH ONE OF THE WALLS, THAT ORB WILL ADMINISTER A HEARTY SHOCK, NYEHE! I, AH, ACTUALLY FORGOT THE PATTERN. SO YOU WILL HAVE NO CHANCE OF WINNING!"

I carefully picked up the orb and studied the 'maze.' The area had been cleared of snow. But why? I saw the displaced snow scattered about, so it hadn't been melted or anything.

I looked a little closer and grinned. The ground had extremely thin, almost unnoticeable lines running along it.

Wires that had been implanted. I remember someone that had done about the same thing with their dog so that the canine couldn't get too close to the hog pen. The dog would get shocked by something on their collar if they went over the wire implanted in the ground.

After finding the secret, I was easily able to navigate the maze and handed the orb back to Papyrus upon finishing.

"C'mon. Let's go find your brother."

Papyrus acting astonished, congratulated me heartily, and began leading me on. He had these dogs in armor-yes, in armor, not attack me. There was also this dog couple that were very affectionate towards one another and I understood why a sign warned me about Dog Marriage.

Monsters aren't scary, they're just plain weird. Eventually, after crossing a bridge and giving me a heart attack because of the heights involved, we arrived at Snowdin.

It was a quaint little place, Snowdin town. The whole town had a certain cheer to it and most went around with a smile on their face. It made me put my machete in its sheath. I stuck it, the end of it at least, in my left pocket and had the rest of it hide in the inside of my jacket.

I wasn't dropping my guard entirely. I wasn't foolish enough to do that.

"BROTHER! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE COME!" Papyrus pushed open the door and effectively captured the attention of everyone in the place.

Sans, who sat at the bar area of Grillby's, waved over his shoulder at Papyrus. Lazy sucker didn't even turn around.

I walked past Papyrus and sat down next to Sans in the seat at the end of the bar table. A flaming man, well, mainly just a giant flame...a flame roughly in the shape of a guy, came over to us. (I questioned how his clothes and glasses didn't melt or burn.)

"Welcome to Grillby's, I'm the owner. What can I get you?" The bartender asked in a smooth and deep tone.

I took a quick look at the menu, made sure I had enough money, then ordered myself a burger and some water.

"Hey, kid," Sans said tearing his eyes from the television stuck on the wall over the bar. From what I saw, it was some sort of robot singing and surrounded by lots of flashing lights and extravagant explosions.

"Hey, Sans. I brought your brother. Might want to take a look at him." Grillby placed my order in front of me and I went ahead and paid him before quickly beginning to eat. I swear that I heard Sans say, "Bone appetite."

"You okay, Paps?"

Papyrus, who had sat next to Sans on his other side, grinned as he declared, "NEVER BETTER!"

"Hmm mm," Sans said before pushing something over to Papyrus. "Just eat up, would ya?"

"OH, WOWIE! THANKS SANS." Papyrus ate whatever Sans gave him and I took a look.

Papyrus looked remarkably less singed with every bite he took out of what Sans gave him.

"What did you give him?" I asked Sans, curious of what could possibly heal someone so quickly.

"Just some Monster Candy I had on hand."

"Candy? How can candy heal someone of burns so quickly?"

Sans blinked in surprise before saying, "Haven't you noticed how Monster food affects you? It's very potent and focuses on healing the Soul, which is what monsters are made of. Humans have their physical body separate from their Souls, but Monster bodies are also their Souls. That's why Monster food is so useful for healing."

I nodded slowly and continued eating the burger. It was very good, but I didn't savour it. I was rushed and stood to leave only a few minutes later.

"I'll see you later," I said to the skeleton brothers and moved to leave. I was stopped when Papyrus grabbed my arm and stopped me with a surprisingly strong grip.

"WHAT IS THE RUSH, HUMAN?"

I glanced at my watch. Almost four hours had passed. I needed to go.

"I have to get out and contact my friend before he follows me down here. Maybe we'll see each other later, but I have to go now." I pulled out of Papyrus' grip and exited Grillby's.

"Pal," Sans appeared around the corner of the Librarby and began walking next to me, hands in his jacket pockets.

I slowed a little to meet his pace.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for sending Papyrus my way. He can sometimes push himself a little too hard."

"Not a problem. Is this the way to Asgore's castle?" I pointed forward the way we had been walking and Sans nodded.

"You're wanting to get through the Barrier, yeah?"

"Yes, I am. I need to stop my friend from coming down here. How long does it usually take someone to reach the castle?"

Sans thought for a moment before saying, "Usually three hours or so if they walk."

"And if I run?"

"It'll probably take you the same amount of time, seeing as Monsters will still try to fight you."

"Why are Monsters fighting me, anyways? I mean, I know that Humans trapped them down here and everything, but that was centuries ago."

"It's Undyne's orders, usually. She's gotten it into everyone's head that, if we see a Human, we should try and slow them down and alert the royal guards. They've probably been told, or will be told, sometime soon."

"Tell me the truth. Should I worry about them killing me?"

"Tibia honest, absolutely."

I grit my teeth at the news while rolling my eyes at the pun.

"Thanks for the news," I said, drawing my machete as the snow changed to dirt. "What is this place called?"

"Waterfall," Sans said, moments before the sounds of, yes, a waterfall appeared.

"Who named these placed?"

"King Asgore. It's uh, not one of his talents."

"No kidding."

We walked for a ways before Sans said that he would see me later and began walking back.

I went through Waterfall for almost an hour before stopping. I looked at my watch and sat down.

I had a decision to make. It had been about four and a half hours since I had left Ben. If I turned around right then, I would make it back to where I had started about the same time that Ben came down with whatever help he convinced to come with him.

I pondered under the leaves of a large flowering plant to avoid the thin mist that the entire area was covered in. I didn't want to know how a mountain had so many different climates inside it.

I considered the pros and cons of going back and moving forward.

"Go back!" I jumped as the flower above me shouted. A Monster I had passed had told me that the azure flowers were called Echo Flowers and repeated the last thing that they had heard. I hadn't said anything since sitting down, so someone else had said it. It was a high pitched voice, like someone small would posses. A child, maybe?

If this wasn't a sign, I didn't know what was.

I shouldered my seabag and readied my machete once more. Until that point, I had only had to ward off one or two Monsters. Others had been intimidated by my machete and had avoided coming close.

---

I was going back through Snowdin, machete sheathed, when I saw Papyrus again.

"HUMAN! BACK SO SOON?"

Papyrus fell into step beside me, thankfully walking at my fast pace.

"I won't find a way to the surface before my friend comes back with help, so I'm going back to where I fell and am going to wait for him."

"OH. ARE YOU SURE? IT'S GETTING VERY LATE."

I looked around and noticed that Snowdin, usually lively, had hardly anyone outside and most lights were out in houses.

"It's not very late on the surface. And I have to meet with him so he doesn't get lost or anything. That way, we can get through the Barrier together. Why are you up this late?"

"I DON'T SLEEP MUCH," Papyrus said and went a few steps without speaking.

"It was good to see you, again. I'll try to introduce you and Ben when I bring him through."

"WOWIE! TWO HUMANS IN ONE DAY. I'LL HAVE TO TELL UNDYNE. SHE'LL BE SO EXCITED!"

I flinched and started to ask him to not do that when he already turned and was running the opposite way.

"Well damn," I muttered before picking up my pace a little. My legs and feet were aching from the almost non-stop movement I had been doing that day. It was almost a relief to walk into the snow and have it numb the pain a little.

I spent three hours getting to the door that opened up into the snow. I found Sans leaning against it and laughing.

"Sans?"

"Oh?" Sans stood and wiped away a glowing blue tear from his eye.

"Knock knock," Sans said, actually knocking on the door as he said it.

"Who's there?" I heard Toriel ask, voice expectant.

"A Human."

"A Human, who?"

"A Human by the name of David."

Silence. Then an audible click came from the door and Sans pushed himself off with a look of shock.

"Hey, Toriel," I greeted her, machete sheathed and hidden.

"You came back?" It hurt to hear her voice so hopeful.

"My friend will be coming down soon and I can't just let him get lost down here. I would love to introduce the two of you."

Toriel nodded, smiling widely.

"Queen Dreemurr?" Sans asked, his expression one of surprise.

"Queen?" I raised an eyebrow at Toriel, who shook her head, frowning.

"Not any more. But it is nice to meet you. I am Toriel, now the caretaker of the Ruins."

"Name's Sans. It's punderful to finally meet you."

I rolled my eyes at Sans, who was already cracking jokes. That's something I liked about the skeleton. He always had a joke ready and was prepared to laugh.

Toriel laughed for a minute and, with a smile, opened the door to let me through.

I told her that I would go ahead, so I could explain everything, and that I would meet her back at her home. She gave her okay and I was gone.

I used the energy from the gleaming speck outside of Toriel's home to run the whole way to where I had come down.

I was turning into the room with the grass, the first one, when a voice piped up.

"Too late." I looked down and was surprised to see a yellow flower talking. Not too surprised, but a little.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, slowing my pace a little.

"Little brat tried stepping on me," the high pitched tone turned menacing. I stopped. That voice. I had heard it before. The same one that came from the Echo Flower.

"Wait, where's Ben?"

"You'll see~" the flower sang, disappearing into the dirt a moment later.

I felt a chill up my spine and ran past the pillars and to the right. The light from a flashlight blinded me and I felt relief even as I held up a hand to block the light.

"Oi, Ben!" I greeted him, walking closer. I was still blinded by the flashlight, so I didn't see how he was being held up until I was a yard away from him.

"Ben?" I whispered, eyes wide and shocked. His only response was a wet cough.

It's a wonder he could even do that much, with the vines stabbing through him. Four other spiked vines held his limbs, causing so many lacerations that the ground would have already been covered in blood even without the holes in his chest.

"Ben?" I moved forward, moving past the vines and moving uselessly.

"Dav," I heard Ben say and came close to his mouth.

"What did this?"

"Flow-" he coughed up some blood, sending a little on my clothes. I understood him, regardless.

A flower. A fucking flower strung him up like some macabre art piece and left him to die.

Ben sagged and a light began emanating from his chest.

"No," I whispered, dropping the machete and grabbing the emerging Soul. I shoved it back. It went in, before pushing itself out once again. I dropped my flashlight and used both hands.

"Go back in, damn you! You. Are. Not. Allowed. To. Die!" I pushed harder with each word until I finally collapsed, Soul held to my chest. I looked up at Ben, his body. His corpse.

"Bullshit. You can't die because of some damn buttercup. I won't allow this." I stood up on shakey legs, shoving his flashlight in my pocket and holding my machete in my right with his Soul in my left. I left my seabag where it lay.

"Did you like my present?"

My Soul came out and I fit in in my left palm, right next to Ben's. My body shivered with warmth from the closeness of it.

"I'm going to pluck those petals from your head and bury you with him," I said, running towards it a moment later. Vines, easily the size of my leg, burst from the ground. I danced around them, sometimes having to throw myself to the side to protect the Souls.

"I was extra careful to make sure he didn't die too quickly," the flower said, his face transformed from when I first saw him.

I saw red. It was my blood. A vine had stabbed right through my hand and into the Souls. I had just enough time to see Ben's Soul, already wavering, shatter. Mine followed moments after. The world went black, the flower's laughter all that remained.

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Yes, I know you want to know what happens next. But leaving a review might make the next scene so much more interesting, yeah?